The main building of the Sebastopol Library has now been demolished while the heritage facade remains, as part of $2.95 million upgrade works to the community hub.
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The facility is set to receive an upgraded library service, with longer opening hours, increased floor space, meeting rooms and improvements to the maternal and child health facilities slated for opening as soon as late 2018.
South Ward councillor Jim Rindali said the new hub would help people stay in their own area to access facilities.
“Sebastopol has probably been a little bit neglected over the years and is being provided with the services it now needs,” he said.
It is another area that has now been brought up to where the rest of the city is.
- Jim Rindali, South Ward councillor
The old Sebastopol Town Hall building at the rear and the maternal and child health facilities have been retained behind the heritage facade.
Demolishing much of the old building was the most cost effective and safe approach to the upgrade, while retaining valued parts including heritage elements, according to City of Ballarat.
Adaptive reuse of certain parts of the building would have been difficult, as it had been renovated and extended at least seven times in the past.
The aim of retaining the heritage Albert Street facade was to preserve the look and feel of the iconic Sebastopol building while delivering a modern, spacious and efficient library, according to City of Ballarat.
Work on the project, funded $2.35 million from the City of Ballarat and $600,000 from DELWP, is scheduled to continue until September to October 2018.
The Sebastopol library has been well used in the past with over 26,000 visits in the 2016-17 financial year. Around 500 people visited the library each week during the 15 hour a week opening hours.
The upgrade was undertaken in response to strong community feedback about the library in a feasibility study in 2013.
Common themes to emerge from the consultation included the need for longer opening hours, increased floor space, meeting room and community room facilities, more collection resources including local history, improved ICT facilities and flexible space to support children’s activities and story times.
Cr Rindali said additional services at the library would mean Sebastopol residents would have to travel into the Ballarat CBD less.
Outer suburbs of Ballarat like Sebastopol really are now suburbs of their own standing.
- Jim Rindali, South Ward councillor
“There are facilities now in the suburbs and that is part of the growth of Ballarat,” he said.
Additional services to be delivered as part of the library upgrade include:
- Little languages story times (intercultural pre-school story times)
- Digital literacy classes
- Library lounge activities (a range of morning activities including free coffee and tea; particularly suitable for older adults)
- Expanded early years’ programs with the provision of two more story times/baby rhyme times per week
- A dedicated young adult area
- Maker Space activities for children and young adults
Community meeting rooms will be available for public bookings when the facility opens.
The new opening hours will be Monday to Thursday 9.30am to 5pm, Friday 9.30am to 6pm and Saturday 9.30am to 12pm.
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